Button Helper Devices, Methods and Systems

ABSTRACT

An example button helper device includes a neck, a faux button coupled to a first side of the neck, and a housing coupled to a second side of the neck, the housing comprising a cavity and a slot. An example button helper system includes an article of clothing comprising a button and a corresponding buttonhole and a button device wherein the button is engaged in the cavity and the neck is engaged with the buttonhole.

BACKGROUND

While getting dressed in the morning seems like a rudimentary task for most people, it is a considerable challenge for people with diminished fine motor skills. Manipulating a button in and out of a buttonhole, and multiple times a day, can be challenging to impossible for people suffering from diminished fine motor skills, such as arthritis or Cerebral Palsy. A button helper device was inspired to seek out a solution so people may operate the buttons on their clothing with ease throughout the day, thus maintaining their independence and dignity.

SUMMARY

A button helper device may allow someone with diminished fine motor skills the ability to more easily secure clothes that require buttoning. Generally, the button helper device may attach to an existing buttonhole of an article of clothing on one side of the device, and then the button helper device may slide over a corresponding button attached to the article of clothing. This allows the user to secure the garment using gross motor skills instead of the fine motor skills required to push a button through a buttonhole

In one embodiment, a button device is described. The button device includes a neck, a faux button, and a housing. The faux button may be coupled to a first side of the neck while the housing may be coupled to a second side of the neck. The housing may comprise a cavity and a slot.

In another embodiment, a method is described. The method comprises attaching a button device to an article of clothing and sliding the housing over a button that is attached to the article of clothing. The button device may comprise a neck, a faux button and a housing. When the housing is slide over the button, the button may fill a cavity of the housing.

In yet another embodiment, a clothing system is described. The clothing system includes an article of clothing and a button device. The article of clothing includes a button and a corresponding buttonhole. The button device comprises a neck, a faux button, and a housing. The faux button may be coupled to a first side of the neck and the housing may be coupled to a second side of the neck. The housing includes a cavity and a slot. The button may be engaged in the cavity of the housing while the neck is engaged with the buttonhole.

These as well as other aspects, advantages, and alternatives will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with reference where appropriate to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example button helper device according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom view of an example button helper device according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of an example button helper device according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of an example button helper device attached to an article of clothing according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating example functional aspects, according to an example implementation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example methods and systems are described herein. It should be understood that the words “example,” “exemplary,” and “illustrative” are used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment or feature described herein as being an “example,” being “exemplary,” or being “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or features. The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.

An example button device allows a user to convert an existing button and corresponding buttonhole to a slider mechanism that may be more easily manipulated. Such a button and buttonhole may be commonly found on a wide variety of articles of clothing, including shirts, pants, shorts, skirts, jackets etc. A button device (may also be referred to as “button helper” or “button helper device”) does not require any modifications, sewing, or redesigning of the original garment or article of clothing in order to be used. By easing the attachment means for any sort of clothing that typically requires the use of a common button mechanism, someone who has diminished fine motor skills may more easily attach a button and buttonhole by utilizing a button device as described herein.

Example Button Devices, Methods, and Systems

Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates a button device 100 that includes a faux button 105 and a housing 110. In one example the button device 100 may have additional parts, pieces, members or attachments. For example, in one embodiment, the faux button 105 may be attached to the housing by way of a neck that provides a solid, fixed connection between the faux button 105 and the housing 110. In other embodiments, other means of attachment between the faux button 105 and the housing 110 may be considered. The button device 100 and connect parts may be constructed from a variety of materials. The button device 100 and included parts, attachments, and/or members may be constructed from a single piece of material by a means of manufacturing such as forming, casting, dying, carving, printing, or grinding, among other means of manufacturing. In some examples, the different parts, members and/or attachments may be each manufactured separately and then connected together using a fastening means such as using a bonding agent (e.g. glue), among others. In some examples, the button device 100 may be made of injection-molded plastics or 3D printed plastics.

The faux button 105 may appear to be a regular (or “normal”) button or other means of fastening on the face of the faux button 105. In one example, the faux button 105 may also be considered a fake button or an artificial button where the faux button 105 may portray the appearance or “look” of a regular button. In some instances, the regular button may be described as the button that is known in the art to be typically fastened to articles of clothing. As such, in some embodiments, the faux button 105 of the button device 100 may be configured to fit through a buttonhole on an article of clothing, thus engaging the button device 100 with the article of clothing. This may be similar to how the regular button would attach or engage the buttonhole. When the button device 100 is engaged with the article of clothing, the faux button 105 may show through the buttonhole, thus maintaining the article of clothing's look from an outside point of view. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the faux button 105 is shown to generally be a round shape, but the faux button 105 may be any number of shapes (e.g. square, oval, rectangular, octagonal, etc.). The button device 100 may also be any number of colors. In some instances, each component of the button device 100 may have the same color, different colors, or a combination thereof.

The housing 110 of the button device 100 may be attached to the faux button 105. The housing 110 may include a mouth or opening configured to accept the regular button into the mouth or opening of the housing. In some examples, the housing 110 may also include a track or slot. In yet more embodiments, the housing 110 may include an internal cavity that is configured to accept or hold the regular button attached to an article of clothing. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the housing 110 is shown to generally be a round, cylindrical shape, but the housing 110 may be any number of shapes (e.g. cube, rectangular box, etc.). When the button device 100 is engaged with an article of clothing, the housing 110 may be between layers of the article of clothing and may be engaged with the regular button attached to the article of clothing.

FIG. 2 illustrates a button device 200 from a bottom view of the button device 200. In this view, a housing 210, a cavity 211, and a slot 212 of the housing 210 are depicted. The housing 210 may be similar to the housing 110 described in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the cavity 211 may be large enough to accept a button attached to an article of clothing. The button may fit within the cavity 211 of the housing 210. For example, when the button, attached to the article of clothing, is inside the cavity 211, the button may be considered engaged with the cavity 211. Engaging the button and the cavity 211 connects or attaches the button device 200 to the article of clothing, specifically to an inside layer of the clothing. In some embodiments, the button engages the cavity 211 at the time when the button device 200 is slide over the button that is attached to the article of clothing.

In some examples, the slot 212 may include a cutout in the housing that allows a button to enter the cavity 211 without separating the button from the attached article of clothing. In other words, for example, an article of clothing may use at least one regular button and that button may be attached to the clothing using thread or something similar. The slot 212 may be configured to accept the thread in order to allow the connected button to enter the cavity 211 of the housing 210. In other examples, the slot 212 may be considered a track that may guide the button and/or the thread attaching the button into the cavity 211.

In one example, the slot 212 may have a mouth that is at a location on the housing 210 farthest away from the center of the housing 210, or at an outer edge of the housing 210. The mouth may be wider in order to more easily accept the button that is attached to the article of clothing. The slot 212 may get narrower away from the mouth, towards the center of the housing 210, to facilitate the button being generally located in or near the center of the cavity 211 when the button is engaged in the cavity 211.

In other embodiments, the slot 212 may include an opening slot that includes a cutout or a track from the outer edge of the housing 210 towards the center of the housing 210. The cutout or the track may be a path for the button device 200 to slide over a button that is attached to an article of clothing. The slot 212 may further include a locking mechanism to prevent or provide resistance from the button slipping out of the cavity 211 by accident. If the button is engaged into the cavity 211 from a first direction, the locking mechanism may include a second slot, or a lock slot, in a perpendicular direction to the first direction. In such an instance, the button may be locked into the slot so the button does not accidently slip out of the cavity 211 through the slot 212. Other slot designs and locking mechanisms may exist in other embodiments.

Generally, the cavity 211 and the slot 212 may allow the housing 210 to engage the button without interfering with the attachment between the button and the article of clothing. As such, the button device 200 does not require a user to alter the original article of clothing in order to put the clothing on and fasten the clothing. When the button is engaged with the cavity 211, the housing 210 prevents the button device 200 from separating from the article of clothing.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a side view of a button device 300. The button device 300 may include a faux button 305, a housing 310 and a neck 315. The housing 310 may further include a cavity 311 and a slot 312. The button device 300 may be similar to the button device 100 of FIG. 1 and the button device 200 of FIG. 2. In some instances, as FIG. 3 depicts, the faux button 305, the housing 310, and the neck 315 may be coaxial. The faux button 305 may be coupled to a first side of the neck 315 while the housing 310 is coupled to a second side of the neck 315. As shown in FIG. 3, the slot 312 may be on a side of the housing 310 opposite of the neck 315.

As also illustrated in FIG. 3, the faux button 305 may have a faux button diameter, the housing 310 may have a housing outside diameter and the neck 315 may have a neck diameter. In one embodiment the neck diameter may be smaller than the faux button diameter and the housing outside diameter. So for example, when the faux button 305 is pushed through a buttonhole of an article of clothing, the neck 315 may become engaged with the buttonhole, preventing the button device 300 from separating from the article of clothing because of the smaller neck diameter described. In another instance, the cavity 311 may have an inside housing diameter that is at least as large as a button attached to an article of clothing. Thus, for example, the button may fit inside the cavity 311, or in other words, is engaged in the cavity 311.

The neck 315 may be configured in many ways. In one example, the neck 315 may be solid plastic, coupled to the faux button 305 and the housing 310, and curved as shown in FIG. 3. The curvature of the neck 315 may be designed to better engage a buttonhole by creating a smaller diameter near a center of the neck than a diameter of the neck farther from the center. In other embodiments, the neck 315 may have a different shape or a different curvature. In even other instances the neck 315 may include threads, strings or strands of cotton, nylon or other fibers used in sewing or weaving, similar to a regular button attached to an article of clothing.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a button helper device system 400. The button helper system 400 may include a faux button 405 of a button device, a housing 410 of the button, a cavity 411 of the housing 410, a slot 412 of the housing 410, a neck 415 of the button device, a button 420, a buttonhole 421, a first side 422 of an article of clothing, and a second side 423 of the article of clothing. The button device with the faux button 405, the housing 410 and the neck 415 may be similar to the button device 100, the button device 200, and the button device 300 described above.

FIG. 4 illustrates the button 420 engaged in the cavity 411 and the neck 415 engaged with the buttonhole 421. The button 420 may be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes, and may be attached to the second side 423 of clothing in a variety of ways, such as using thread. The second side 423 of the article of clothing 423 may be considered an inside layer of the article of clothing. In one embodiment, the slot 412 may act as a track or guide for the thread or other means of attachment of the button 420. In one example, the housing 410 may slide over the button 420, thus engaging the button 420 in the cavity 411.

In one instance, in order to engage the neck 415 and the buttonhole 421, the faux button 405, connected to the neck 415, may have been pushed or moved through the buttonhole 421. The buttonhole 421 may be in the first side 422 of clothing. The first side 422 of the article of clothing may be considered an outside layer of the article of clothing that may be designed to overlap the inside layer of clothing to allow for fastening between the two sides. The buttonhole 421, for example, may be a slot or an opening in a shirt, pants, shorts, or a skirt that corresponds with a button. The buttonhole 421 may be configured to stretch open in order to get a larger portion of a button, such as a plastic disc part of a button (which may be similar to the faux button 405 or the button 420) through the buttonhole, but then to close in around a fastening means of the button, such as the threads connected to the button 420. The buttonhole 421 may close in once the larger portion is pushed through the buttonhole 421. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, although the buttonhole 421 may be configured to close in around the threads of the button 420, when utilizing the button device described herein, the buttonhole 421 may close in around the neck 415, as shown.

FIG. 5 is an example flowchart of method 500, according to some embodiments. Method 500 and other processes and methods disclosed herein may include one or more operations, functions, or actions as illustrated by one or more of blocks 502-504. Although the blocks are illustrated in sequential order, these blocks may also be performed in parallel, and/or in a different order than those described herein. Also, the various blocks may be combined into fewer blocks, divided into additional blocks, and/or removed based upon the desired implementation.

At block 502, method 500 may include attaching a button device to an article of clothing. The button device may include a neck, a faux button and a housing. The housing may include a cavity that is filled by the button attached to the article of clothing. In one example, attaching the button device to the article of clothing as shown in block 502, may also include pushing the faux button through a buttonhole on the article of clothing. In one example, the buttonhole may be in a first side of an article of clothing while the button may be attached to a second side of the article of clothing. In on instance, the buttonhole may be configured to receive and/or engage the button.

At block 504, method 500 may include sliding a housing over a button that is attached to the article of clothing. In at least one embodiment, sliding the housing over the button may include moving the button and the button device relative to each other so that the button fills the cavity of the housing of the button device after the housing is slid over the button.

The method 500 may also include locking the housing to the button. For example, the housing may include a locking slot perpendicular to an opening slot, so that when the housing is slid over the button through the opening slot, the button may be pushed into the locking slot to prevent the button device from separating from the button attached to the article of clothing.

Conclusion

The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particular embodiments described in this application, which are intended as illustrations of various aspects. Many modifications and variations can be made without departing from its scope, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Functionally equivalent methods and apparatuses within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to those enumerated herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

The above detailed description describes various features and functions of the disclosed systems, devices, and methods with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The example embodiments described herein and in the figures are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments can be utilized, and other changes can be made, without departing from the scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.

The particular arrangements shown in the figures should not be viewed as limiting. It should be understood that other embodiments may include more or less of each element shown in a given figure. Further, some of the illustrated elements can be combined or omitted. Yet further, an example embodiment can include elements that are not illustrated in the figures.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the scope being indicated by the following claims. 

1. A button device comprising: a neck; a faux button coupled to a first side of the neck; and a housing coupled to a second side of the neck, the housing comprising a cavity and a slot, wherein the slot comprises: an opening slot that begins at an outer edge of the housing and comprises a radially extended portion; and a locking slot that is perpendicular to the radially extended portion of the opening slot.
 2. The button device of claim 1, wherein the neck, the faux button, and the housing are coaxial.
 3. The button device of claim 1, wherein the opening slot is wider near the outer edge of the housing than near the center of the housing.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The button device of claim 1, wherein the slot is on a side of the housing opposite the neck.
 6. The button device of claim 1, wherein the faux button has a faux button diameter, the housing has a housing outside diameter and the neck has a neck diameter that is smaller than the faux button diameter and the housing outside diameter.
 7. The button device of claim 1, wherein the cavity has an inside housing diameter that is at least as large as a button attached to an article of clothing.
 8. The button device of claim 1, wherein the cavity is configured to accept a button of an article of clothing.
 9. A method comprising: attaching a button device to an article of clothing, wherein the button device comprises a neck, a faux button and a housing; sliding the housing over a button that is attached to the article of clothing by a fastener; locking the housing to the button, wherein locking the housing to the button comprises: moving the button and the fastener through an opening slot of the button device such that the button fills a cavity of the housing, wherein the opening slot that begins at an outer edge of the housing and comprises a radially extended portion; and arranging the connector in a locking slot of the button device, wherein the locking slot is perpendicular to the radially extended portion of the opening slot.
 10. (canceled)
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein attaching the button device to the article of clothing comprises pushing the faux button through a buttonhole on the article of clothing.
 12. A clothing system comprising: an article of clothing comprising a button and a corresponding buttonhole; and a button device comprising: a neck; a faux button coupled to a first side of the neck; and a housing coupled to a second side of the neck, the housing comprising a cavity and a slot, wherein the slot comprises: an opening slot that begins at an outer edge of the housing and comprises a radially extended; and a locking slot that is perpendicular to the radially extended portion of the opening slot; wherein the button is engaged in the cavity and the neck is engaged with the buttonhole. 